Based on preliminary reports from the U.S. Census Bureau, Barnstable’s official population count is expected to take a dip. That’s prompting the town clerk to suggest a bump-down in the number of precincts to the evenly-dividable 12
With that in mind, it seems a good time to dust off plans to revamp Barnstable’s charter. A 2007 report by a council-appointed charter review committee that looked at the legislative composition of the council suggested a reduced number and at-large members. That was set aside to allow the work of the elected charter commission to go forward cleanly.
When the charter question failed by a scant 10 votes in 2009, some commission members said that they’d collect signatures to get the same proposal before voters in 2011, as allowed by state law. Whether or not that will happen is unclear.
While most opposed the charter report of 2009, a number on the council agreed with some of the suggested reforms, indicating they would be forwarded under a council-initiated charter update.
A year later, the council has yet to consider, let alone act on, making any such moves. Like many things the council said it would do, such as review and release its executive session minutes dating to 2003, those notions remain on a shelf.
Perhaps it’s time to get them off the shelf and prepared for the 2011 ballot.

DS II
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